Doboj – AP reports that NATO troops entered Doboj today, a city controlled by the police loyal to indicted war criminal Karadzic. Meanwhile, the police loyal to RS President Plavsic took control over the TV transmitter nearby Doboj.
1’30”
Sarajevo – The new US Ambassador Kauzlarich arrived in Sarajevo today. Kauzlarich held a press briefing at the airport, saying that he has arrived at a key moment in the DPA implementation. He also said that although a great deal of work had been done, many problems still remained to be solved. Kauzlarich pointed out that his mission is to complete the DPA implementation, and to lay the corner-stone for the unique, multiethnic State of BiH, with two equal Entities. Kauzlarich has also brought a message from the US Government cabinet, which says that the US will use every possible way to keep on the path of previously achieved agreements. Kauzlarich also said that there can be no prosperity without a free media. He added that the DPA is the only alternative, and that its failure must not be allowed, for it would be a disaster not only for BiH, but for NATO partners as well
6’00”
Sarajevo – CoM Co-President Silajdzic returned from his visit to the USA, where he had talks with several US Government officials. Silajdzic repeated that the US will remain persistent in the DPA implementation, which includes the arrest of war criminals. Silajdzic also said that, besides diplomatic relationships, economic co-relations should be expected. Regarding the situation in RS, Silajdzic said that if the DPA is not fully implemented, sanctions will be put on any sides that obstructs the DPA.
4’00”
Sarajevo – Presidency member Zubak received the OSCE Ambassador Frowick today. The issues of the forthcoming elections and the new OSCE decisions were discussed.
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Sarajevo – Minister Prlic met with British Ambassador Crawford. Issues discussed were the current situation in RS and the forthcoming elections. Regarding Crawford’s interest in the allocation of BiH Ambassadors, Prlic said that the allocation should be done by the end of the year.
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Sarajevo – The second meeting between HR deputy Wagner and Federation President Soljic, and Co-president Ganic was held today. The main subject of the meeting was refugee return to the Middle Bosnian Canton. Wagner said that he was satisfied with the progress of return, saying that 400 returnees families came to Jajce alone. Soljic hailed the return, saying that those who obstruct returns must be punished. Ganic said that the return process represents the first step in the DPA implementation, and that it has became an economic problem. Ganic added that the IC will be asked to provide assistance for the reconstruction of returnees’ houses and farms.
3’00”
Kakanj – UNHCR spokesman Janowski said that two houses in the Kakanj area, reconstructed with Italian aid, were heavily damaged by an explosive. Two people were injured, and the event was characterised as an attempted murder.
1’30”
Sarajevo – German Internal Affairs Ministry delegation visited Sarajevo where they met the Refugee Minister Kadic. The delegation came in order to determine the safety conditions for refugee return. The German delegation also considered the possibility of training the local police staff.
2’00”
Sarajevo – The action of observance and reconnoitre was carried out today, within the framework of the Open Sky project, organised by OSCE. All three sides simultaneously agreed to take part in this project. German soldiers carried out the action as an act of a good will.
4’30”
Reuters reports that the Yugoslav President Milosevic might visit RS tomorrow. It was announced that SFOR received a request for landing approval in preparation of the eventual visit. SFOR spokesman Maj. Riley said that the request is being considered.
1’00”
Banja Luka – Today’s session of the BL city Parliament had only one item on the agenda – the current situation in BL. It was decided that the Parliament should remain in Permanent session.
Head of the Serb Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle talked with Plavsic, Krajisnik and Kalinic today.
SFOR retreated from three out of five police precincts in BL.
SFOR patrol shot a warning bullet into air, after an RS police vehicle attempted to hit the SFOR patrol.
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Summary SRT TV News
Representatives of the RS state institutions, Dragan Kalinic, Gojko Klickovic and Aleksa Buha held a press conference in Pale today. The main themes were the conclusions adopted yesterday by the RS Assembly. Kalinic stressed that the Serb Parliament is one of the main pillars of the RS. Commenting on certain personnel changes in the Government, Klickovic said that they were necessary due to the inability of some Ministers to adjust to the current situation. All attempts to divide the RS must be categorically stopped, concluded the RS officials at today’s press conference.Kalinic: “The Assembly was one of the main pillars of our state, being that in a war or peace time. Yesterday’s session proved that the state’s main institution is functional despite the chaos and unconstitutional behavior in one part of the RS.”
Klickovic: “We made some changes in our Government in order to help this institution carry out the decisions of the Constitutional Court and to stop this fierceness of Biljana Plavsic. The events in the last two days have nothing to do with human behavior.”
Buha: “OSCE gave the last amendment to the election rules on August 7. Such a practice can not be found anywhere in the world. If the game started under a set of rules, it should be carried out according to these rules, agreed upon at the beginning. OSCE also does not keep it’s word, since they promised me that they would have a list of names for each municipality ready by 20 August. We know what date it is today and we have not received these lists.” Minister of Information, Svjetlana Siljegovic, said that the session yesterday was held behind closed doors not because of the subjects of the discussion but because live broadcast, which would cover the whole RS territory, could not be enabled.” Klickovic also said that the Public Prosecutor will initiate a process against people responsible for illegal usurpation of the SRT relays. He also confirmed rumors that SFOR is willing to help in such actions. SFOR must stop that immediately, warned Klickovic.
8 min
SFOR and members of the para-police forces loyal to Biljana Plavsic tried to capture the state transmitter in Duge Njive near Doboj. This illegal and unconstitutional act was prevented and the Doboj region kept the SRT (Pale) signal. Report: (pictures showed only the transmitter, without RS police or SFOR in the vicinity) The RS Police from Doboj re-gained control of the SRT transmitter this afternoon. No one was wounded or killed as a result of the action. Para-police forces of Biljana Plavsic held a few Doboj policemen and SRT technicians as hostages. It is also confirmed that Milovan Stankovic, a deputy in the RS Assembly, Novo Ljubicic, president of the Doboj SDS Board and Tihomir Gligoric, president of the municipal Socialist Party, sided with para-police forces of BP in this violent attempt. SFOR blocked the area around the relay at 10.00 a.m. and without authorization reprogrammed the transmitter. The interventionist police from Doboj was sent to the vicinity, but they were intercepted by the Norwegian Battalion which opened fire on them. Only the police car suffered damage.
4 min
In Bijeljina, SFOR conducted increased movements. They also dispatched their vehicles along the Bijeljina-Tuzla road, near the fruit sugar factory and the residents of Semberija are very agitated. The municipal SDS Board convened a session, which was attended by all the presidents of the city boards. We learned from Mr. Nikic, president of the municipal SDS Board, that SFOR will first occupy the police station and then move on to other institutions.
2 min
His Holiness, Patriarch Pavle met today in BL with Biljana Plavsic. The talks focused on the current political situation in the RS. The meeting was held behind closed doors for two hours.
30 sec
The Municipal Board of the Serbian Democratic Party /OO SDS/ Prnjavor supported the stance of the Police station /CJB/ in this city to exclusively respect the orders of the legal Ministry of Internal Affairs /MUP/ of RS. The members of OO SDS have decided to send an urgent requirement to the Main Board of this Party to convene the Assembly of the party, at which the new leadership would be elected.
1,5 min
The new US Ambassador in BiH, Richard Kauzlarich, stated that “his mission is to implement the Dayton Agreement in whole and set the foundations for prospective and democratic BiH, which consists of two entities”, He also said that the situation in the RS is worrisome. 40 sec The US special envoy of for the former Yugoslavia, Robert Gelbard threatened Belgrade with “greater isolation”, if they do not change the relation of the president of FR Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, towards the Dayton Agreement. The world media:
Die Welt contains an article which claims that the Serb division in RS is actually the result of the Western offensive.
Der Spiegel says that Biljana Plavsic and her party would lose at the general elections, if they take place. In that way, the West would be disgraced.
Junge Welt claims that Biljana Plavsic is using the BL TV for making absurd accusations against Mr. Krajisnik. At the same time, the HR Carlos Westendorp is welcoming the split of the SRT. This interference of Mr. Westendorp in the work of the media can only be compared to the international illegal and scandalous threats of the HR to shut down the SRT, concludes the newspaper.